<%NUMBERING1%>.<%NUMBERING2%>.<%NUMBERING3%> PRTG Manual: PRTG Administration Tool on PRTG Core Server Systems

With the PRTG Administration Tool, you can define various system settings regarding the PRTG core server installation, restart services, and view log information. You can also change many of these settings via the system administration in the PRTG web interface.

The PRTG Administration Tool has the following tabs:

i_round_redThis section describes the settings that are available in the PRTG Administration Tool when you open it on the PRTG core server system. This means that you can edit settings for the PRTG core server or PRTG web server and the local probe.

i_round_redSettings you define are only valid for the PRTG core server system on which you start the PRTG Administration Tool. Make sure that you log in to the system that you want to make changes to and open the PRTG Administration Tool there.

i_podThis feature is not available in PRTG Hosted Monitor.

Start the PRTG Administration Tool

  • From the Windows Start menu, select the PRTG Network Monitor folder and click PRTG Administration Tool to open the application.
  • Confirm the question of the Windows User Account Control with Yes to allow the PRTG Administration Tool to start.

PRTG Web Server

Edit IP addresses, ports, access methods, and language for the PRTG web interface.

i_round_blueYou can also change these settings under Setup | System Administration | User Interface in the PRTG web interface. For more information, see section User Interface.

PRTG Web Server Tab

PRTG Web Server Tab

Setting

Description

Select TCP Port for the PRTG Web Server

The PRTG web server provides access via the PRTG web interface and PRTG Desktop. Specify on which port the PRTG web server runs:

  • Secure HTTPS server (port 443, recommended, mandatory for internet access): This setting is required if you want to access the PRTG core server via the internet. Use a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) secured HTTPS connection on port 443.
    i_round_blueAlthough the connection is secure, you see an SSL certificate warning in your browser when you log in to the PRTG web interface because the default certificate is unknown to your browser. You can install a different SSL certificate for PRTG. For more information, see section Using Your Own SSL Certificate with the PRTG Web Server.
     
    i_round_blueIf port 80 is available, PRTG reserves it as well. If port 80 is not available, PRTG tries port 8080 as fallback. If this port is also not available, PRTG searches from port 8081 upwards for a free port. PRTG sends a ticket that shows you the currently used port number and switches back to port 80 as soon as it is available again. When users try to connect on port 80 via HTTP, they are redirected to port 443 via HTTPS. You can change this behavior by using a registry setting. If port 443 is not available, PRTG tries port 8443 as fallback. If this port is also not available, PRTG searches from port 8444 upwards for a free port. PRTG sends a ticket that shows you the currently used port number and switches back to port 443 as soon as it is available again.
  • Unsecure HTTP server (default port 80, not recommended): Use the PRTG web server without SSL/TLS on port 80. This setting is not recommended for WAN connections.
    i_round_redIf you use the PRTG web server without connection security on the internet, attackers could potentially spy on credentials that you enter in PRTG. We strongly recommend that you use this option only in a LAN.
  • Expert configuration: Specify a custom port for the PRTG web server and the security of the connection. This option is intended for systems that already have a web server on the standard port.
    i_round_redIf PRTG always uses a fallback port after a server restart, check for other programs that use the same port as PRTG. For example, the Microsoft Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) web server also uses port 80 (port 443 for secure connections) by default and blocks it. Please disable such programs and services on startup.

Expert configuration: Connection security

This setting is only visible if you select Expert configuration above. Specify if you want to use connection security:

  • Use HTTPS (secured with SSL/TLS): Use a SSL/TLS secured HTTPS connection on a custom port as defined above.
    i_round_blueAlthough the connection is secure, you see an SSL certificate warning in your browser when you log in to the PRTG web interface, because the default certificate is unknown to your browser. You can install a different SSL certificate for PRTG later. For more information, see Using Your Own SSL Certificate with the PRTG Web Server.
  • Do not use connection security (not recommended): This setting is not recommended for WAN connections. Use the PRTG web server without SSL/TLS on a custom port as defined above.

i_round_redIf you use the PRTG web server without connection security on the internet, attackers could potentially spy on credentials you enter into PRTG. We strongly recommend that you use this option in a LAN only.

Expert configuration: Web server port

This setting is only visible if you select Expert configuration above. Enter the TCP port number that you want the PRTG web server to run on. Enter an integer value.

i_round_blueIf you use a secure connection and port 80 is free, PRTG reserves it as well. When users try to connect on port 80 via HTTP, they are redirected to the custom port via HTTPS. You can change this behavior by using a registry setting.

i_round_blueIf the defined port for a secure connection is not available, PRTG tries port 8443 as fallback. If this port is also not available, PRTG searches from port 8444 upwards for a free port. PRTG sends a ticket that shows you the currently used port number and switches back to the original port as soon as it is available again.

Select IP Address for the PRTG Web Server

The PRTG web server provides access via the PRTG web interface and PRTG Desktop. Specify on which IP address the PRTG web server runs. Later, you can log in to PRTG by pointing your browser to the specified IP address.

Choose from:

  • Localhost, 127.0.0.1 (PRTG is not accessible from other computers): Use 127.0.0.1 only. The PRTG web interface and PRTG Desktop are only accessible from the PRTG core server system. Either the selected port or at least one port in the range from 8080 to 8089 has to be available on 127.0.0.1.
    i_round_redIf you run PRTG on localhost, do not use the DNS name http://localhost to log in to the PRTG web server, as this might considerably slow down the PRTG web interface. Use your local IP address or http://127.0.0.1 instead.
  • All IPs: Use all IPs available on this computer (recommended): Use all IP addresses that are available on this computer and enable access to the PRTG web server for all of these IP addresses.
    i_round_redThe selected Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) port for the PRTG web server must be free on every available IP address.
  • Specify IPs: Select specific IP addresses on which the PRTG web server runs. The list is specific to your system. Add a check mark in front of every IP address you want the PRTG web server to be available at. You can also select all addresses by clicking the Select all IPs button or deselect all addresses by clicking the Deselect all IPs button. Either the selected port or at least one port in the range from 8080 to 8089 has to be available on the specified IP address.

i_round_redRegardless of the selected setting above, one port in the range from 8080 to 8180 has to be available on the specified IP address so PRTG can create reports. The report engine tries to connect to the PRTG core server on one of these ports.

i_round_redIf PRTG does not find a network card on startup, it switches the IP setting to Localhost, 127.0.0.1 (PRTG is not accessible from other computers). This setting remains even if a network card is available later on. If you disabled or removed the network card on the PRTG core server system, check this setting again.

Select System Language

Select the system language. The default is English. Depending on your installation, you might be able to choose other languages here. This setting defines the language of the PRTG web interface and the PRTG Administration Tool.

PRTG Core Server

Define settings for the PRTG core server.

PRTG Core Server Tab

PRTG Core Server Tab

Setting

Description

Probe Connection Management

Define how PRTG handles incoming connections from probes:

  • Accept connections from the local probe only (default, does not allow remote probes): Only accept connections from the local probe. If you select this option, you cannot use remote probes.
  • Accept connections from remote probes on all IPs: Accept incoming connections from remote probes, no matter on which IP address of the PRTG core server they come in.
  • Accept connections from remote probes on selected IPs only: Accept incoming connections from remote probes on the selected IP address(es) of the PRTG core server. In the list, select the IP addresses by adding a check mark in front of the desired IPs.

i_square_cyanYou can also change this setting under Setup | System Administration | Core & Probes in the PRTG web interface.

Local Storage of Data Files and Monitoring Database

Select the directory where PRTG stores configuration and monitoring data. Click b_browse to choose a different folder on the system.

i_round_redBefore you change the path, make sure you stop both the PRTG core server service and the PRTG probe service and copy all data to the new location.

Click Revert to default folder to reset this setting to default.

Cluster

On the Cluster tab, you can change how the PRTG core server behaves in a cluster. Before you change settings here, see section Failover Cluster Configuration.

Cluster Tab

Cluster Tab

Setting

Description

Cluster Settings

Depending on the cluster settings, different options are available.

  • Cluster Mode: Shows the cluster mode of the PRTG core server. Possible values are Standalone (no cluster mode), Cluster Mode: Master Node, or Cluster Mode: Failover Node.

i_round_blueThis setting is for your information only. You cannot change it.

  • Cluster Port: This setting is only visible if PRTG runs in cluster mode.
  • Cluster Access Key: This setting is only visible if PRTG runs in cluster mode.
  • Cluster Node ID: This setting is only visible if PRTG runs in cluster mode.

i_round_blueThis setting is for your information only. You cannot change it.

Cluster Mode Actions

Depending on the cluster settings, you see different active buttons.

  • Create a Cluster
  • Join a Cluster
  • Change Cluster Settings
  • Revert to Standalone

i_round_blueFor details on these options, see section Cluster Mode Actions.

Master Heartbeat

This section is only visible if PRTG runs in cluster mode. The current master node can execute an external executable file on a regular basis. We call this a heartbeat.

You can use this, for example, to report the IP address of the current master node to a dynamic Domain Name System (DNS) provider, so that a DNS name is always redirected to the current master node in case the primary master node fails and a failover node (with a different IP address) becomes the current master node.

Choose between:

  • No heartbeat: Do not execute a file on a regular basis.
  • Run an external executable file every 5 minutes: Click b_browse to browse for the file that you want to execute. This can be, for example, a command-line tool or a batch file. PRTG executes it on the current master node only, in a fixed interval of five minutes. You cannot change the interval.

i_round_redMake sure that the selected file is available under the same (local) path on all failover nodes. In case one of your failover nodes becomes the current master node, PRTG can only execute the heartbeat reliably if the executable file exists on all of your failover nodes.

Cluster Mode Actions

Follow these instructions to create or to join a cluster, to change a cluster's settings, or to revert a cluster node to standalone mode:

Create a Cluster

  • Click Create a Cluster to create a cluster. The current PRTG core server is then the master node of the cluster.
  • Click Yes to convert this installation to a master node.
Converting an Installation to a Master Node

Converting an Installation to a Master Node

  • A dialog box appears.
Creating a Master Node

Creating a Master Node

  • Enter a Cluster Port. This is the port on which PRTG sends the internal communication between the cluster nodes. Make sure that connections between the cluster nodes are possible on the selected port.
  • Enter or paste a Cluster Access Key. This is a unique access key. All cluster nodes must use the same cluster access key to join the cluster. Connection attempts with a different access key are not possible. i_round_blueWe recommend that you use the default value.
  • Save the Cluster Access Key so that you have it at hand when you configure the failover nodes.
  • After confirming your settings, you are asked to restart Windows services. Click OK to restart the Windows services so that your changes take effect.
Restart Services to Apply Changes

Restart Services to Apply Changes

Join a Cluster

  • Click Join a Cluster to add this installation to a cluster that already has a master node. The current PRTG core server is then a failover node.
  • This button is also available if the PRTG core server is in Cluster Mode: Master Node. This option then changes the master node to a failover node.
  • Click Yes to convert this installation into a failover node.
Converting an Installation to a Failover Node

Converting an Installation to a Failover Node

  • A dialog box appears.
Cluster Connection Setup

Cluster Connection Setup

  • Enter a Master Node (IP address/DNS name) for the cluster. It must be reachable from the machine that runs the failover node.
  • Enter the other settings as defined in the settings of the master node. Make sure that you use the same settings on all cluster nodes.
  • Enter a Cluster Port. This is the port on which PRTG sends the internal communication between the cluster nodes. Make sure that connections between the cluster nodes are possible on the selected port.
  • Enter or paste a Cluster Access Key. This is a unique access key. All cluster nodes must use the same cluster access key to join the cluster. Connection attempts with a different access key are not possible. i_round_blueWe recommend that you use the default value.
  • After confirming your settings, you are asked to restart Windows services. Click OK to restart the Windows services so that your changes take effect.
Restart Services to Apply Changes

Restart Services to Apply Changes

Change Cluster Settings

  • If you run PRTG in cluster mode, you can change the settings. Click Change Cluster Settings to do so.
  • A dialog box appears.
Edit Cluster Node Settings

Edit Cluster Node Settings

  • Enter a Cluster Port. This is the port on which PRTG sends the internal communication between the cluster nodes. Make sure that connections between the cluster nodes are possible on the selected port.
  • Enter or paste a Cluster Access Key. This is a unique access key. All cluster nodes must use the same cluster access key to join the cluster. Connection attempts with a different access key are not possible. i_round_blueWe recommend that you use the default value.
  • Make sure that you use the same settings on all cluster nodes.
  • After confirming your settings, you are asked to restart Windows services. Click OK to restart the Windows services so that your changes take effect.
Restart Services to Apply Changes

Restart Services to Apply Changes

Revert to Standalone

  • Click Revert to Standalone to revert this cluster node to a standalone installation.
  • A dialog box appears.
Revert Cluster to Standalone Installation

Revert Cluster to Standalone Installation

  • Click Yes to convert this cluster node to a standalone installation.
  • A dialog box appears where PRTG asks you to agree to restart the PRTG core server service. Click OK to proceed.
Restart Services

Restart Services

i_round_blueWhen you revert a cluster node to Standalone mode, the cluster probe remains in the device tree to keep your device and sensor setup. If you want to completely remove the cluster probe from the device tree, you need to delete it manually.

Administrator

On the Administrator tab, you can change settings for the PRTG System Administrator user.

i_round_blueYou can also change the password for the PRTG System Administrator user account under Setup | Account Settings | My Account in the PRTG web interface.

Administrator Tab

Administrator Tab

Setting

Description

Email Address

Enter a valid email address for the PRTG System Administrator user account. By default, PRTG sends notifications and important messages to this address.

Login Name

Enter a login name for the PRTG System Administrator user account. You use it when you log in to the PRTG web interface or PRTG Desktop.

i_round_blueThe default login name is prtgadmin.

Password

Click Generate new password and confirm to generate a new password for the PRTG System Administrator user account. Click Save & Close to set the new password. You use it when you log in to the PRTG web interface or PRTG Desktop.

i_round_blueThe default password is prtgadmin.

Probe Settings for Core Connection

Define general settings regarding the local probe and connections.

Probe Settings for Core Connection Tab

Probe Settings for Core Connection Tab

Probe Settings

Setting

Description

Name of Probe

Enter a meaningful name to identify the local probe. PRTG shows this name, for example, in the device tree, and in all alarms by default. Enter a string.

i_round_blueIf the name contains angle brackets (<>), PRTG replaces them with braces ({}) for security reasons. For more information, see the Knowledge Base: What security features does PRTG include?

Reconnect Time

Define the time that PRTG waits for the local probe to reconnect to the PRTG core server if the connection fails. Enter an integer value.

Connection to PRTG Core Server

These settings affect the way that the local probe connects to the PRTG core server.

Setting

Description

Server (IPv4 Address or DNS Name)

The local probe connects to the PRTG core server via 127.0.0.1. You cannot change this.

Probe GID

The probe GID is a unique identifier for the local probe. You cannot change the GID on the PRTG core server system.

i_round_blueEdit GID and Generate new GID are only available on the remote probe system. For more information, see section PRTG Administration Tool on Remote Probe Systems.

i_round_blueYou can deny GIDs under Setup | System Administration | Core & Probes in the PRTG web interface.

Probe Access Key

Probe Access Key is only available on the remote probe system.

i_round_blueFor more information, see section PRTG Administration Tool on Remote Probe Systems.

Confirm Access Key

Confirm Access Key is only available on the remote probe system.

i_round_blueFor more information, see section PRTG Administration Tool on Remote Probe Systems.

Path for the PRTG Data Directory on the Probe System

Setting

Description

Path

This setting is not available on the PRTG core server system. Please use Local Storage of Data Files and Monitoring Database on the PRTG Core Server tab instead.

Probe Settings for Monitoring

Probe Settings for Monitoring Tab

Probe Settings for Monitoring Tab

Define the IP address to use for outgoing monitoring requests.

  • If more than one IP is available on the system, you can specify the IP address that PRTG uses for the outgoing monitoring requests of certain sensors.
  • This setting is for sensors that use the following connection types: HTTP, Domain Name System (DNS), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3), port, remote desktop, Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), and Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP).
  • The setting is valid for all monitoring requests that this probe sends.
  • This setting is useful for devices that expect a certain IP address when they are queried.
  • The default setting is auto. PRTG automatically selects an IP address.

i_round_redThis feature does not support all sensors for technical reasons.

i_round_redIf you change this setting, some sensors might stop working. For example, sensors might show the Down status if the selected IP address is blocked on the way to or directly on the monitored device.

Setting

Description

IPv4: Outgoing IP for Monitoring Requests

Define the IP address for outgoing requests that use the IPv4 protocol. The list shows all available IP addresses on the system. Choose a specific IP address or select auto.

IPv6: Outgoing IP for Monitoring Requests

Define the IP address for outgoing requests that use the IPv6 protocol. The list shows all available IP addresses on the system. Choose a specific IP address or select auto.

i_square_cyanFor more information, see section IPv6 Support.

Service Start/Stop

You can manually start and stop the PRTG core server service and PRTG probe service. Click the respective buttons to start or stop the respective service. Both actions usually take from a few seconds up to several minutes. You can also restart the PRTG core server service and PRTG probe service under Setup | System Administration | Administrative Tools in the PRTG web interface.

i_round_blueWe recommend that you schedule automatic system restarts.

Service Start/Stop Tab

Service Start/Stop Tab

Restart Options

Setting

Description

Restart Options

Define if you want to schedule an automatic restart:

  • No scheduled restart of the system or PRTG services: Do not automatically perform a scheduled restart of services. We recommend that you manually restart the PRTG core server system every few weeks. You can also restart the PRTG core server service and PRTG probe service under Administrative Tools in the PRTG web interface.
  • Scheduled restart of PRTG services: Restart the PRTG core server service on the PRTG core server system. If you select this option, the PRTG probe service restarts as well. Define a schedule under Restart Schedule.

i_podThis setting is not available on the hosted probe of a PRTG Hosted Monitor instance.

  • Scheduled system restart (recommended): Define a schedule under Restart Schedule. We recommend that you restart PRTG core server systems once a month for best performance.

Restart Schedule

This setting is only visible if you select a schedule option above. Choose how often you want to restart the PRTG core server service, PRTG probe service, or the PRTG core server system:

  • Once per week: Select a day and a time below.
  • Once per month (recommended): Select a day of the month and a time below.

Day

This setting is only visible if you select a schedule option above. Select a day of the week (Monday to Sunday) or month (1st to 30th or Last). If you select Last, PRTG restarts the PRTG core server system on the last day of the month, regardless of how many days the month has.

i_round_blueIf you select a date that does not exist in every month (for example, the 30th day in February), PRTG automatically restarts the PRTG core server system on the last day of this month.

Time

This setting is only visible if you select a schedule option above. Select the time of the day when PRTG restarts the PRTG core server system.

i_round_blueYou get a Windows warning message 10 minutes before the restart to inform you about the restart if you are logged in to PRTG. The actual restart time can differ by up to 30 minutes from the time you enter here.

i_round_blueYou can also define a restart schedule on the Settings tab of a remote probe in the PRTG web interface.

Logs and Info

Logs and Info Tab

Logs and Info Tab

Logs

Button

Description

Open Log Folder

Open the PRTG data directory to access all logs that PRTG creates.

Send Logs to Paessler

Open an assistant to send logs to the Paessler support team. See Send Logs to Paessler for details.

i_round_blueYou can also send logs with the support bundle via Contact Support in the PRTG web interface.

Open Support Ticket

Open the support form on the Paessler website in a browser window.

i_round_blueIf you need help, we recommend that you use the Contact Support option in the PRTG web interface instead.

About

The About section shows information about the version of installed PRTG programs and copyright information.

Send Logs to Paessler

i_round_blueYou can also send logs with the support bundle via Contact Support in the PRTG web interface.

Send Logs to Paessler

Send Logs to Paessler

If you open a support ticket, the Paessler support team might ask you to send logs for further analysis.

Field

Description

Name

Enter your name.

Email

Enter a valid email address. You can provide any email address but we recommend that you use the email address of your user account, which PRTG enters by default.

Ticket #

This field is optional. If you have already opened a ticket with the Paessler support team, provide the ticket number you received. Your files are then automatically associated with your ticket.

Enter the ticket number starting with PAE followed by four or more digits, for example, PAE12345. If you do not have a ticket number, leave this field empty.

Configuration

Define if you want to include the configuration file. PRTG removes all passwords from the configuration file before sending it to the Paessler support team.

Click Send to start the data upload. PRTG then automatically collects, compresses, and sends your logs to our FTP over SSL (FTPS) server. Ensure that FTPS and HTTP connections are allowed on the remote probe system.

Activate Changed Settings

After you change settings, click Save & Close. A new dialog box appears where PRTG asks you to agree to restart the PRTG core server service. Click OK to proceed.

Restart Services

Restart Services

More

i_square_blueKNOWLEDGE BASE

What security features does PRTG include?

Which ports does PRTG use on my system?